Combined toy and game.



Patented July 4, I899.

w. n. PARK. COMBINED TOY AND GAME.

(Apphcatlon filed Mar 18, 1899) Wz neasw XW/Jm TN: NORRIS PETERS co, mmaumo, WASHINGTON u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEB.

WILLIAM R. PARK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF .ONE- 1 HALF TO ROBERT G. RANKIN, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED TOY AND GAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,029, dated July 4, 1899.

Application filed March 16, 1899. Serial No 709,273. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known'that 1, WILLIAM R. PARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Improvement in a Combined Toy and Game, of.

which the following is a specification.

My invention is a combined toy and game which I prefer to call a running ballcatcher, and is fully illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the device, showing the ball drawn back prior to being projected; Fig. 2, an edge view of the device, and Fig. 3 a top view showing the ball caught between the hands of the image.

The device consists in a suitable stick or pole A, which may be of either square, round, or other cross-section, and upon this stickis guided a representation of a ball-player, as shown at B, by means of the staples G and D. The staple 0 preferably has an antifrictionroll E thereon, so as to facilitate the running .up of the figure upon the stick, as will be hereinafter set forth. A cord F is secured at its upper end to a staple G, which is fastened in the top of the stick, and this cord passes downward and through the hole H, formed through the figure, and terminates at the ring I. To this ring is attached the elastic J, the opposite end thereof being attached to the ball K by means of the eye N, which is made after the manner of a cotter-pin; its ends 0 being turned at approximatelyright angles to the body of the eye, so that when sprung or otherwise passed within the ball it will be firmly retained in position, as clearly shown. This ball may be of any suitable material; but I have found thata hollow rubber ball well answers the purpose intended. From this description it will be seen that when the cord is pulled upon it will be drawn outward through the hole H, while at the same time causing the figure to travel up the stick, which is facilitated by the roll E.

The object to be attained is to cause the ball to lodge between the hands L of the figure, and in practice the ball is grasped and drawn backward, so as to distend the elastic J, which action will also cause an upward 5o movement of the figure, and whenthe ball is released it should be so directed, as to wedge between these hands. This, as is obvious, will require considerable practice and skill and the exercise of patience, since not only must the ball be accurately directed, but allowance must be made for the upward movement of the figure, and the attempts to accomplish this will afford endless amusement and instruction to both young and old. When the force of the ball is expended, the figure will drop to its normally-lowered position, when the operation may be repeated.

The stick may have inserted upon its front surface diamond-shaped figures, as indicated at M, and these figures may be numbered 1, 2, and 3 and one of them designated as home base. The words Running home catcher may also be inscribed upon the stick.

It is obvious that a variety of regulations or rules may be adhered to in manipulating the deviceas, for instance, a score may be allowed for causing the ballto lodge between the hands of the figure when the latter is at a given base, (indicated by the diamonds.)

If found desirable, the figure may be weighted, so as to further facilitate its falling movement. 1

I do not wish to belimited to the exact details here shown and described, as of course they may be Varied within certain limits with out departing from the spirit of myinvention, which rests in the broad idea of providing a suitable stick or pole and containing therewith a member adapted'to slide thereon and so arranging a cord and ball as to cause the figure to move upward when the string is drawn upon.

If found desirable, a fine flexible wire may go be used instead of the cord F.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- An amusement device consisting of a suitable stick, a figure, staples attached to said figure and surrounding the stick for guiding ,an ntifiric io ollarranged upon n es imony whereof I have here n one of the staples, a cord having 0gb endetfixed my signature in the presence of two tached to the stick and. passing through a subscribing Witnesses.

hole in the figure, an elastic attached to the I W'ILLIAM R. PARK. free end of the cord, and a hollow rubber ball attached to the outer end of the elastic, as shown and described.

\Vitnesses:

MARY E. H MER, L. W. MORRISON. 

